A family walks the nature trails at Kensington Metropark in July of 2016. Livingston County residents continue to have the highest quality of life Michigan and are the third healthiest population, according to the 2017 County Health Rankings, published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute(Photo: Gillis Benedict/Livingston Daily)

Livingston County residents continue to have the highest quality of life Michigan and are the third healthiest population, according to the 2017 County Health Rankings, published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

County health officials were pleased with the latest rankings, which did not change from last year, but warned against thinking everything is perfect. They noted, while residents are generally active and healthy, sexually transmitted diseases and obesity have trended upward, a commuter culture is impacting the county's environmental health, and there is room to improve.

The 9% of county residents in poor or fair health are fewer than the state average, which is 17%.

Chelsea Moxlow, who coordinates health promotions for the county's health department, said social and economic factors impact overall health.

"Livingston County tends to be more affluent and well-educated," she said.

About 87% of residents graduate from high school and fewer children live in poverty in the county — 8% compared to 22% statewide. The violent crime rate per 100,000 people was 101, which is low compared to the statewide rate of 444, according to the report.

"Even though Livingston's ranking did not change from last year there is still plenty of room to improve. For example, adult obesity, sexually transmitted infections, diabetes monitoring, and mammography screens are all trending in the wrong direction," county Health Officer Dianne McCormick said in a release.

Sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis increased from 282 cases in 2013 to 402 in 2016, according to county health department data, which Moxlow said is a "staggering increase."

Obesity — the health rankings report about 30% of residents are obese — started to trend upward in 2009 and hasn't reversed course, Moxlow said, adding that it is a "complicated combination" of genetics, physical activity levels and eating habits.

The county ranks among the worst counties in Michigan — 76th of 83 — for environmental health factors, including air quality and commuters.

"What pulls us down is the number of residents who commute alone to work. It's a socialization issue, and safety issue when someone is coming home from a long day's work by themselves," she said.

The study found 86% of county residents drive alone to work and 53% have a long commute.

Elsewhere in Michigan,Ottawa County was ranked the healthiest overall of 83 counties in the state. Clinton County took second place.

The least healthy county is Wayne County, according to the report.

Contact Livingston Daily reporter Jennifer Eberbach at 517-548-7148 or at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenEberbach.